Matt Kaplan is a science correspondent with The Economist and has contributed weekly articles to its science and technology section for a decade. He has also written for National Geographic, Nature, and The New York Times. When not chained to a desk in England, Kaplan travels the world exploring our most cherished myths and legends.
Kaplan is a noted science journalist and writer for The Economist, but above all he’s a lively and accessible storyteller. This book leaves no mythical stone unturned. Encompassing the magic our ancestors believed in and the magic we believe in today, Kaplan considers everything from the Biblical parting of The Red Sea and Viking exploration to the science behind the mutants of X-Men, to new studies regarding autism and modern medical advancements prolonging human life“What I have always loved about magic is that brief moment when the impossible seems possible. I
—Jason Alexander, Actor (Seinfeld)
Antiquated myth and scientific inquiry coalesce as Kaplan travels across the world to explore the nexus between science and magic. Kaplan is a noted science journalist and writer for The Economist, but above all he’s a lively and accessible storyteller, embedding his rigorous scientific research and experiment results in vibrant prose.
With sections on healing, transformation, immortality, supernatural skies, animal and plant communication, prophecy, life beyond the grave, enchantment, and the superhuman, SCIENCE OF THE MAGICAL leaves no mythical stone unturned. Encompassing the magic our ancestors believed in and the magic we believe in today, Kaplan considers everything from the Biblical parting of The Red Sea and Viking exploration.